Wilmer Valderrama beefing up for "crazy" season 2 of "From Dusk Till Dawn"
Expect to see a more muscular Wilmer Valderrama pretty soon.
The 34-year-old actor is about to start shoot season 2 of the El Rey Network's TV series "From Dusk Till Dawn" and he's getting into shape for the role.
"My character is about to gain about 10 pounds of muscle," Valderrama recently told CBS News. "So, I'm in the middle of working out twice a day and I'm eating tons of protein. And I'm bulking up."
The series follows the 1996 comedy-thriller film of the same name, directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino. The movie, which starred George Clooney, Salma Hayek, Harvey Keitel and Juliette Lewis, became a cult favorite, so Rodriguez decided to revive it in television form with Valderrama, alongside new cast members Don Johnson, D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz and Jesse Garcia.
"We expanded on the universe. It's exciting. I play Carlos Madrigal," Valderrama said. "Robert Rodriguez gave me a call and said, 'I hand-crafted this character for you. I think you'll have a good time with it.' He gave me the main villain."
"We're excited because we just premiered on Netflix, and that's a big deal for us," Valderrama continued. "The first season is now available there. We're gearing up for season 2. We back to work in October and we premiere early next year."
Scripts for season 2 are being kept tightly under wraps. The actors haven't even seen them yet, but Valderrama says he know his character will return this season "with a crazy mission statement."
Valderrama will also soon be seen in the "The Adderall Diaries," starring James Franco, Amber Heard, Christian Slater and Ed Harris. The film follows a writer who faces a series of hurdles -- from writers block and substance abuse to relationship problems and father issues.
"I play one of James Franco's buddies and it's really fun," Valderrama said. "The director Pamela Romanowsky is awesome. It's an amazing cast and James is awesome and hilarious to work with. We had a good time. The shoot was very short. It was just about 4 or 5 weeks...Amber is such a sweetheart, too," he said. "I'm excited for people to check out this movie because the story is very intriguing...We shot in New York City and it's the best. Shooting in New York City is awesome."
Valderrama, meanwhile, has also been spending time helping to grow This Helps, a charity organization he co-founded with philanthropist Joe Huff to help harness the power of consumer purchases in order to raise funds for charitable global causes. This Helps is out with a line of necklaces, which will help provide schooling for children in developing countries.
"What we're trying to do is make it really easy for people to wear something with pride and at the same time create conversation because that also raises awareness...Hopefully people can join us in raising a thousand months of schools and eventually a necklace will save an animal," he said. "Eventually a necklace will plant three trees."
Valderrama says giving back just comes second nature to him. Valderrama also has a production company, called WV Enterprises, which helps build on his community initiatives
"I was born in Miami and when I was 3 years old my parents moved back to Venezuela. I was in Venezuela for 10 years of my life, so I was practically raised there for the first half of my life," he said. "And when I came back to the States at 14 years old this country had given me an opportunity to live an American dream that you only read about and only see in the movies. I just realized, 'How can we do our part?' So I joined many organizations. I went to nine countries. I did 19 shows for the troops. I was so proud. I wanted to do my part...It translated to community outreach and youth empowerment...And all of a sudden you get addicted. You get addicted to making this an organic extension of what you do."
And he's also dabbling with some music lately. But it's not too serious, he says. It's more like a "passion project."
When asked if he collaborates with his girlfriend, Demi Lovato, Valderrama said they tend to have solo creative efforts. But he does plan to share his new music with her at some point. And he clearly respects her talent. "She's one of the best vocalists in the industry," he said. "She's soon to become an icon."
For more on Valderrama, his organization and his relationships with the "That '70s Show" gang, check out the video above.
